Today's network operators and service providers offer a variety of private network solutions to their customers. Such private networks include, for example, virtual local area networks (VLANs), virtual private networks (VPNs), virtual private LAN service (VPLS) networks, etc. The performance of a particular customer's private network may need to be measured to ensure the customer obtains a certain level of service guaranteed by, for example, a service level agreement (SLA). Thus, determining accurate network performance measurements is an aspect of providing competitive private network solutions.
In conventional private networks, as well as public networks, network performance is typically measured by a standalone testing node or an existing node that is configured to operate in a resident test mode. For example, a separate computer or testing device may be coupled to the network and configured to generate traffic and monitor the resulting network performance. However, such standalone testing nodes can be costly and require separate power sources. In another example, a network node, such as, for example, a router, may be configured to operate in a resident test mode to exchange data with other similarly configured network nodes. However, the resident test modes for network nodes (e.g., such as routers) from different manufacturers may be incompatible. Furthermore, operation in the resident test mode typically requires normal network traffic to be suspended.